A 74-year old man from Oudenbosch will not face criminal prosecution for raping his stepdaughter repeatedly because he is suffering from a progressive form of dementia, Dutch media said on Tuesday.

Judges at the Zeeland-West-Brabant district court suspended the sitting because the man is incapable of understanding the investigation or the charges against him, broadcaster RTL said. Given the nature of the case, this is likely to be as far as the prosecution gets, RTL said.

The man has been charged with raping his step daughter, who is a minor, and the physical abuse of his wife. The attacks took place between 2010 and 2016.

In Dutch law, people who are incapable of understanding what is happening to them in court may not be prosecuted.

The man remains in custody and the court will decide later if the man should be sent to a closed institution to protect the public.